Significant evaporite resources occur in the Great Basin Desert of the United States, mineral deposits made famous by the "20-mule teams" that once hauled borax-laden wagons from Death Valley to the railroad.

Deserts have a reputation for supporting very little life, but in reality deserts often have high biodiversity, including animals that remain hidden during daylight hours to control body temperature or to limit moisture needs.

While Utah is widely perceived to be a desert state, and statistically it is the second driest state in the nation, its climate, soils, and vegetation are as diverse as are its landforms. Utah has three climatic regions--humid, sub-humid or semi-arid, and arid--and each region covers about one-third of the state.

A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and consequently living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to the processes of denudation. About one third of the land surface of the world is arid or semi-arid.

There are four major types of desert in this biome - hot and dry, semiarid, coastal, and cold. They are all able to inhabit plant and animal life that are able to survive there. Interesting Desert Biome Facts: Although the daytime temperatures of the desert biome are very hot, they can get very cold at night.

Some deserts are found on the western edges of continents. They are caused by cold ocean currents, which run along the coast. They cool the air and make it harder for the air to hold moisture. Most moisture falls as rain before it reaches the land, eg The Namib desert in Africa.

The Desert - What Makes This Biome Unique? Deserts are areas that have hardly any rain, are extremely dry and are usually very hot. Animals and plants have adapted to the harsh environment so they can survive the extreme conditions.

LOCATION: Although few animals and plants are adapted to the extremely dry desert life, the desert is a vital biome. The desert is important because it covers about a fifth of the earth's surface! ... And then there are cold deserts.

Non-Polar Deserts. The rest of Earth's deserts are outside of the polar areas. The largest is the Sahara Desert, a subtropical desert in northern Africa. It covers a surface area of about 3.5 million square miles.

The McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, receive less than 100 mm (4 in) of precipitation per year and have a mean annual temperature of -20ºC (-4ºF). With an area of around 4,800 km² (1,850 miles²), they represent the largest ice-free area on the continent.

El Azizia took the record for highest temperature ever recorded on Sept. 13, 1922, when a thermometer on a weather station hit a whopping 136 degrees Fahrenheit (58 degrees Celsius), thanks to southerly winds blowing in hot air from over the Sahara Desert.Apr 16, 2012

Some deserts are found on the western edges of continents. They are caused by cold ocean currents, which run along the coast. They cool the air and make it harder for the air to hold moisture. Most moisture falls as rain before it reaches the land, eg The Namib desert in Africa.

The desert biome is an ecosystem that forms due to the low level of rainfall it receives each year. Deserts cover about 20% of the Earth. There are four major types of desert in this biome - hot and dry, semiarid, coastal, and cold. They are all able to inhabit plant and animal life that are able to survive there.

Characteristics and climate of deserts. See where deserts are found on this biomes map. Deserts have extreme temperatures. During the day the temperature may reach 50°C, when at night it may fall to below 0°C. Deserts have less than 250 mm of rainfall per year.

LOCATION: Although few animals and plants are adapted to the extremely dry desert life, the desert is a vital biome. The desert is important because it covers about a fifth of the earth's surface! ... And then there are cold deserts.

The Desert Biome is an important part of Earth because many animals live in it and it is a source of sand. Also, a lot of oil is often found under many deserts. The Desert Biome is home to insects and spiders that frogs and birds eat. ... The Desert Biome is also important because it has its own ecosystem.

Human Impact On The Desert Biome. Humans have impacted the desert biome in that they have polluted the atmosphere. This affects all biomes, including the desert. People have also drilled for many fossil fuels, such as oil, in the desert.

But even small changes in temperature or precipitation could drastically impact plants and animals living in the desert. ... Human activities such as firewood gathering and the grazing of animals are also converting semiarid regions into deserts, a process known as desertification.

The Desert - What Makes This Biome Unique? Deserts are areas that have hardly any rain, are extremely dry and are usually very hot. Animals and plants have adapted to the harsh environment so they can survive the extreme conditions.

Moon landing in Wadi Rum. Jordan's desert is, in a word, majestic. Its lunar-like landscape (Wadi Rum is also known as the Valley of the Moon), crevice-riddled cliffs and ever-evolving light inspire unbridled awe.

Comprising around 75% of Jordan, this area of desert and desert steppe is part of what is known as the North Arab Desert. It stretches into Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, with elevations varying between 600 and 900 meters above sea level.

Since water is so scarce, most desert animals get their water from the food they eat: succulent plants, seeds, or the blood and body tissues of their prey. ... Desert animals prevent water leaving their bodies in a number of different ways.

The two main adaptations that desert animals must make are how to deal with lack of water and how to deal with extremes in temperature. ... Since water is so scarce, most desert animals get their water from the food they eat: succulent plants, seeds, or the blood and body tissues of their prey.

Camels have: Large, flat feet to spread their weight on the sand. Thick fur on the top of the body for shade, and thin fur elsewhere to allow easy heat loss. A large surface area to volume ratio to maximise heat loss.

Because regular leaves don't conserve water well, the cactus developed these modified leaves to adapt to its extremely dry environment. The spines are better at conserving water and surviving in hot temperatures. Regular leaves provide a large surface area for evaporation of water to occur, the tiny spines do not.

Camels are herbivores; they eat desert vegetation, such as grasses, herbs, and leaves. Camels have many adaptations that allow them to live successfully in desert conditions. Deserts are hot and dry. Winds blow sand all around, so a camel has long eyelashes.

Desert succulents, such as cacti or rock plants (Lithops) for example, survive dry spells by accumulating moisture in their fleshy tissues. They have an extensive system of shallow roots to capture soil water only a few hours after it has rained.